Birth of Venus

‘Birth of Venus’ is a portrait series of young girls, inspired by the famous Venus painting by Botticelli. Within mythology Venus as the Goddess of Love, was also described as a necessary counter force to the male energy. Traditionally Venus was depicted as a mature woman, but in this series young girls take her place. They are standing in a shell-shaped sandbox, that’s made up out of both a blue, and a pink halve as a reference to the balance between the male and female essence. They’re not playing but seem frozen in a moment of reflection. Within mythological telling’s plants grew wherever Venus went. But the backyards in the pictures seem unnatural: the grass and the hedge are made of plastic. Although their surroundings seem pleasant, there seems to be an eerie tension in the air. What does it mean to grow up as a woman in today’s world, and what role is reserved for femininity in these young girls’ future?

Wavelengths

“Wavelengths” is a portrait series of ex-couples, that was inspired by diptych paintings from the Late Medieval period. Both models were asked to draw a line that described their relationship with each other. These two lines make up the ‘landscape’ in the background of the portraits. We tend to glorify our current relationships and not speak much about those that have ended. But despite the fact that a relationship didn’t last, an ex is still likely to have been an important part of your life. For a while you’ve shared everything and went through ups and down together. The fact that you’ve had such a strong connection with someone is something you’re allowed to look back on with love and pride. The “Wavelengths” series is an ode to these past relationships.

Child’s Play

Anyone would agree that raising a child is anything but child’s play. Exhibiting parents down on their hands and knees, the project reflects on different aspects of the parental role. It emphasizes the subservient nature of parenthood and confronts us with a vulnerability that we are not accustomed to associate with our parents. At the same time, the soft, pink carpet under them feels inviting and reminds us of playing on the floor. The uncomfortable position the models are captured in, does not exclude pride. It’s a kneeling out of care, commitment and love, and the vulnerability that comes with the discomfort of this position, that I wanted to capture in these images.

Mother/daughter project

A portrait series where mothers’ faces are placed onto their daughter’s bodies. The work reflects on growing up as a woman and the shifting relationship we might have with our bodies. It emphasizes the common nature of this journey. Your mother has most likely had a very similar experience growing up as you did. At the same time it is also a reference to our modern western society and it’s focus on the young female body.

A Thing of Beauty

‘A Thing of Beauty’ plays with our interpretation and expectance of beauty. The setting the model is photographed in refers to common visual styles in advertising photography. Within this commercial photography setting where we’d normally expect to see a professional model, we stumble upon a unexpected face. Instead of the sleek perfection which is usually strived for in the advertising world, the physique of the male model we see here is representative of a distinct human vulnerability. From the birthmarks that cover the righthand side of his body to the difference in the size of his pupils: beauty is coming from an unexpected place here.